


Cause My Bright Is Too Slight To Hold Back All My Dark

by kacb1381



Category: Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, F/F, clary is an art student, isabelle is a photography student and daughter of a socialite, side helen/aline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-05-24 17:43:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6161401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kacb1381/pseuds/kacb1381
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meeting was purely a coincidence. If Clary hadn't been working over-time that night, if Isabelle hadn't agreed to go to the club, if they had sat at a different booth, if there wasn't a creepy guy lurking outside. Somehow, it all worked out, and they met. Now, they just have to deal with all the forces trying to tear them apart.</p><p> </p><p>College!Au. Clary is a struggling art student who started stripping to pay for school. Isabelle is a photography student and the daughter of socialites.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I've been working on this fic for some time, and I'm very excited to finally be posting it. It's my first f/f fic, and pretty much the only fic I've ever written that has been over 5,000 words. 
> 
> While writing this, I pictured the actors from the tv show, so that's how they will be described. Although Katherine is actually taller than Emeraude, I enjoyed the height difference in the books, so I'm keeping it that Izzy is taller than Clary.
> 
> The title is from the song 'Jesus' by Brand New.

Isabelle liked the atmosphere in clubs; it was fun and carefree. Tonight, Isabelle and her friends were going out for a bachelorette party. Some of her friends, Aline and Helen, were getting married. When gay marriage had become legal, they decided to put their wedding plans into action. Since both of them were girls, they had agreed that they could have a mutual bachelorette party. They had decided on a male and female strip club so that everyone in the group could see something they liked. Isabelle had been to Pandemonium before, but had never gone upstairs. The bottom level was your regular night club, but the top floor was a strip club.

 

There was five of them total; Isabelle, Aline, Helen, Tessa, and Maia. They had all dressed up quite a bit, per Isabelle's request. She had insisted that for going to a strip club, you had to look sexy. This wasn't a simple dress sort of event. Isabelle herself was in a skintight red dress with a plunging neckline. She thought that the fact that it zipped up the front added to the allure. Her black pumps made her tower over all of her friends. Dark curls spilled over her shoulders. Overall, Isabelle thought she looked stunning.

 

Walking into the club, the smell was a strange mix of perfumes, alcohol, smoke, sweat, and just the hint of marijuana. Isabelle took a deep breath in. She loved the atmosphere of parties, and a nightclub was no exception. Looking around the club, there was many things she wanted to take photos of. The couple pressed up against the wall; the petite girl's head thrown back in pleasure, the man's lips on her neck and hand on her exposed waist. The glowing bar at the back of the club; a variety of bottles on the wall. People dancing without a care on the dancefloor. Neon signs littering the walls. A man with spiky black hair and a deal of eye makeup lounging on the couch, surrounded by half-naked people.

 

As they made their way through the crowd, Isabelle noticed different people sneaking glances at their group. Everyone in their group was attractive in the own way, so she wasn't surprised they were turning heads. Isabelle liked the attention. She liked when people noticed her and found something about her that they found interesting. Perhaps it came from the fact that her brothers were one of the only sources of attention when she was little. Until she hit puberty, Isabelle hadn't had any friends outside of them. After puberty, boys and girls had flung themselves at her left and right. Being the center of attention was something that made her feel warm.

 

A hand grabbed hers, and she looked to see that it belonged to Maia. The group held onto each other so that they didn't get separated as they made their way to the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, there was a burly bodyguard standing by. Helen leaned up to say something, and he made a swiping gesture to allow them upstairs. Isabelle counted the stairs as they walked up. Glitter covered them. In fact, the entire club seemed to be coated in a thin layer of glitter. She wondered if someone had intentionally put it there or if it had just built up from random people. 

 

The strip club was just as bright and glitter-filled as the nightclub section. In the center of the club, there was a large platform with three poles on it. There was benches surrounded it. In the two back corners, there were smaller single stages, with booths in front of them. In the corner to the left of the stairs, there was bar. A girl with milky white skin and blonde hair stood behind it, mixing a drink that was bright blue. Throughout the room, there was tables and booths.

 

Pandemonium must have an insane electrical bill, Isabelle thought. Just like the downstairs, everything seemed to glow with a neon light. The shelf that held the alcohol lit up with splurge of colors, adding a cool effect to all of the bottles. The bar itself lit up bright white. All of the dancing platforms were black, but they had a variety of lights shining down on them. The tables were also black, the chairs seemed to be velvet. Neon signs seemed to be a common thing, covering the walls, along with mirrors here and there. Some of the light-up signs were simple things like lips, others were things like illustrations of strippers on poles. As they sat down, Isabelle decided to read them as they waited for a waiter to come over. One said, ' _Remove clothes_ ' in white lettering, another one offered lap dances, the one above the girls restroom flashed the words ' _girls girls girls_ '. ' _Cocktails and dreams_ ' above the bar. _'Live Nudes_ '. ' _Sinners welcome', 'Wear cute underwear_ ', two hands making a crude gesture. Whoever had decorated the club must have a very extravagant taste. 

 

The girl that had been behind the bar made her way over to them. In the light that was currently shining down, her pale skin had a green tint to it. She was a pretty girl, Isabelle noticed, and was probably as tall as she was. She offered the group a smile, "Hi, I'm Kaelie. I'll be serving you guys tonight! What can I get you?"

 

Aline and Helen were the only ones who were twenty-one, everyone else was nineteen. Isabelle didn't pay attention to what they were ordering, but they giggled and said something about getting smashed. She watched the men and women on the stages, twirling around the poles and grinding. They were all great dancers, as if Pandemonium would allow anything different. Even though it was only ten o'clock and the club was just starting to fill up, a place like this would only allow for the best dancers.

 

Kaelie returned with Aline and Helen's drinks, setting them gently on the table. She congratulated them on their engagement, teasing that they should enjoy their last couple of nights before marriage. She bustled out of the way when the beat of the song picked up and the dancers actually started removing some clothing. The group had an up close and personal view, since they were right next to the center stage.

 

 A man with a toned body and dirty blonde hair shook his hips to the beat. He closed his eyes as he leaned up against the pole. When he looked down and saw their group, he grinned and came closer. On his knees, he rolled his hips. He smiled sexily, looking straight at Isabelle. She pulled some dollar bills out, and when he inched a little closer, she stuck them in his golden underwear. He winked cheekily at her and stood back up, returning to the pole.

 

"Oooh, someone likes you!" Maia laughed.

 

Isabelle shook her head, "He's a stripper, he likes everyone who gives him money, it's his job." She didn't think less of strippers, she just knew that the flirting and charm was all an act. That's how they made their money.

 

Helen was giggling as a stripper shook her ass right in Aline's face. Aline was blushing furiously, but she was also smiling. "Get it, babe!" Helen yelled. Isabelle laughed at her friends. Secretly, she was jealous of the fact that they had a relationship where they could go to a strip club with each and watch the other get lap dances and whatnot and not feel weird or insecure. Every relationship Isabelle had been in had been fleeting, certainly nothing like what Helen and Aline had. Men, women, it didn't matter. She didn't stay with them very long. Or they didn't stay with her for very long. Her mother often scolded her that one day her hookups were going to get her into trouble. Of course, that had only caused her to act out more.

 

After three songs, this set of dancers was done. Over the noise of people filing into the room, she didn't really catch any of their names, except for that the blonde dude had been named Rocky. She chuckled to herself, because she thought that was clever. He really did have the kind of body that seemed like it had been made in a lab.

 

A new waitress walked over to them. She was wearing a skimpy outfit that was form fitting and flattering. The lilac color of it looked nicely against her light brown skin. "Can I get you ladies anything to drink? I'll be your server from now one."

 

The girls -other than Aline and Helen- ordered some non-alcoholic drinks. Isabelle ordered herself a mango smoothie. She heard Aline talking about taking a selfie before the lights dimmed. The waitress smiled and offered to take it for them. All of the girls squished together, Helen sitting on Aline's lap.Tessa put her arm around Maia's waist, and Maia threw her arm around Isabelle's shoulders. The waitress took a few photos before handing Aline's phone back to her.

 

"I'll be right back with those drinks," she said as she turned away.

 

By the time she came back, all of the main lights had been turned off, and the colored lights were flashing around. They announced new dancers, this round they were all female this time around. Over the speaker, someone was announcing the girls name. "Chastity, Cinnamon, and Nevaeh!"

 

Rihanna's 'Pour It Up' starting playing as the girls made their way on stage. Two girls came out at first, one had blonde hair and the other had brown, both pulled back in tight ponytails. They were in in black lingerie with black heels, with what looked like a velvet choker around their necks. Once they walked to the left and right edge of the stage, the third girl came. Isabelle nearly choked on the drink she had been taking.

 

The girl was obviously smaller than the other two, but she was tall, white heels. Her entire outfit was white, contrasting with the other black outfits. What really made her stand out though was her hair. It looked like fire against her pale skin and white outfit. The lights shined down on her, making her glow. They had all started dancing, but Isabelle only had eyes for the redhead. She figured that her stage name was Cinnamon, given her hair and the fact that she was in the middle. The way she moved was intoxicating, and Isabelle found herself staring. Her hair swinging around as she moved around the pole. It looked like the type of hair Isabelle would like to run her fingers through.

 

She was taken out of her thoughts by an elbow to her ribcage. "If you're going to eyefuck her, you should probably toss some bills up there," Maia told her. Isabelle's mouth dropped open. She might want to be more subtle about her staring then. "Also, you should set your drink down before you drop it. That smoothie was expensive."

 

Deciding that her friend was right, Isabelle threw some bills up on stage. She made sure to aim them for the center of the stage. Cinnamon's heels landed on the floor, just as the other two jumped on their poles. Isabelle didn't think most strip routines were choreographed, but this one clearly was. Cinnamon ran her hands along her body as she danced, a playful smile on her face. Her hands were now running through her hair, and Isabelle was a little envious of the fact. She really didn't have nice hair.

 

She saw Maia saying something to the rest of the group, before they were all pulling out bills and gesturing for Cinnamon to come closer. Isabelle threw a glare at her friends, because they were obviously doing this because of her. She was going to have a serious talk with Maia later. Cinnamon made her way over, moving her hips and dancing the entire time. Tessa pointed over at Isabelle, grinning and laughing. Cinnamon seemed to get the message, and walked in front of her. A few seconds later, she was swaying her body down until she was crouching. She dropped to her knees, then moved her hands until she was on all fours. Cinnamon whipped her head around and shook her ass. Dropping down farther so her butt stuck up in the air and her elbows and knees held her up, she made a 'come here' gesture with her fingers. A coy smile was on her lips, and Isabelle thought her heart was going to stop. She felt Maia elbow her again, and stuck the bills out. Cinnamon gestured to put them in her bra. Now she was really convinced that she was going to die. This gorgeous girl was this close and letting Isabelle touch her. Granted, that's how she made her money, but it was still a bit much for Isabelle to take.

 

And just like that, she was gone. Isabelle took in a deep breath. Glancing over, she saw all of her friends staring at her. "What? She's really hot."

 

"Yeah, so are like, all the strippers," Tessa giggled.

 

"Shut up," Isabelle snapped. Her friends knew that she wasn't being mean. She just didn't really like losing her cool in front of anyone. The redhead had made her do that. As attracted as Isabelle was to her, she couldn't help being a little bit bitter that she had made Isabelle act like a fool. Isabelle had liked a lot of people, but she had never acted like this before. It was like those girls in teen movies who couldn't function around a cute boy. That just wasn't her.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Helen get up. Figuring she was going to the bar or restroom, Isabelle didn't think much of it. During the next two songs, she tried to watch the other dancers, but her eyes kept going back to Cinnamon. She was beautiful and an amazing dancer, but Isabelle also felt as if she knew her from somewhere. Trying to place where she knew her from was hard though. With lingerie on and glitter covering her body, she obviously wasn't in everyday wear. Isabelle knew she hadn't slept with her, she remembered everyone she had slept with. Did she go to school with her? Maybe. She certainly wasn't in any of Isabelle's classes, but she was around the right age to attend college.

 

When the song was over, the girls left and went backstage. There was another name announcement, and more music started playing. "We got a surprise for you!" Aline told her. The blonde pointed over Isabelle's shoulder, and saw Cinnamon walking toward her. Her head snapped back to her friends, mouth open. She quickly recovered, "Who says I want to pay for a lap dance?"

 

Helen smiled, "They told us that since it's our bachelorette party, we get a free lap dance. We just told them we wanted to give it to you. The man was nice and agreed."

 

Cinnamon had reached them at this point, and was standing right in front of Isabelle. She smiled down at her. "Hi, what's your name?"

 

"Isabelle," she told the redhead.

 

"I'm Cinnamon, nice to meet you, Isabelle. I was told you wanted a dance?"

 

The black haired girl nodded, figuring it was rude to tell her that her friends had actually wanted her to give Isabelle a dance. She would also be lying if she said that the idea didn't appeal to her. Cinnamon put her hands over the bench over Isabelle's shoulders, and straddled her hips. She started grinding, moving her hands into the air. Isabelle felt all of her friends eyes on them as she danced.

 

Her movements picked up, moving her hands through her hair and along her body. A lot of the moves were familiar from her dance, but somehow she made them different. She dropped and dance, pulled away and came close again, ran her hands along her body and put them over Isabelle's shoulders. Isabelle was absolutely intoxicated. Her hands were planted palms down on the bench, not really sure what to do with them. She had received lap dances plenty of times, but all of those times she had known her partner. Had known that it was okay to touch and caress. As if reading her thoughts, Cinnamon reached down and pulled her hands on to her waist. "You can touch me if you want," she whispered.

 

She was tiny in Isabelle's lap. Even on top of her, Cinnamon just eye level with her. Her hips felt fragile and warm under Isabelle's fingers. Green eyes looked into hers, and Isabelle's breath caught in her throat. The girl in her lap kept her gaze as she danced. Isabelle thought she should feel weird that the best lapdance she had ever received was from someone she didn't even know. That was saying something, considering how many she had been given.

 

Too soon, Cinnamon’'s movements slowed back down. She leaned close to Isabelle and whispered, "Songs over." All of a sudden, she was off of Isabelle's lap. She gave her a smile and wink, then walked away.

 

"Well, it looks like Izzy is in love!" Maia said as she wrapped her lips around her straw.

 

 Isabelle shook her head, "No, I don't fall in love. She's gorgeous though. Thanks for the dance...although I feel bad I took away your free lap dance. I mean, everyone deserves the occasional lap dance."

 

Helen and Aline were smiling devilishly, "Oh, we get plenty of lap dances!" Helen sent her an over the top wink, and the two of them burst into a fit of laughter. Isabelle laughed with them.

 

"Why did we even come to a strip club? Like you horndogs need anymore fuel!" Tessa said.

 

 Isabelle took a sip of her smoothie, "Yeah, you guys should maybe see someone about that...sex addiction is very real."

 

Tessa scoffed, "You were included in that, Missy. Don't think I don't know what you get up to."

 

"Everyone knows what I get up to. I'm not exactly ashamed of it. I like sex," Isabelle stated. She was always happy that she found a group of friends who weren't ever rude to her about having a lot of sex. Most people shamed her and talked about her behind her back. Her group of friends had never been anything but supportive.

 

                                                                                                                                      *

 

About two hours later, the girls were ready to go home. They had all spent a hefty amount of money, but it had been fun. Isabelle got to watch Cinnamon dance to a couple more songs. After paying her bill, she decided to step outside for some fresh air. Three hours in Pandemonium was hard work on your head and lungs. Isabelle was fairly sure that the inside of her throat now looked like a disco bar. Since Cinnamon had given her a lapdance, her body was covered in glitter, and every time she moved, pieces of it fluttered off of her.

 

Since it was one o'clock in the morning, the alley outside of the club was pretty much empty. Isabelle took in a deep breath, enjoying the crisp air. She considered leaning against the wall, but thought better of it. Even though this was the front of the club, it was still technically in an alley. Plus, there couldn't be anything particularly clean about any part of a night club/strip club.

 

Just then, Isabelle heard voices coming from further down the alley. She knew that it curved around and led to an entrance where employees could come in. "I told you no. Show's over. I'm going home," said a female voice.

 

The second voice was male, "Why don't you come home with me? It would be a lot more fun. I promise, baby."

 

 Isabelle started forward. There was no way she was letting some creep do anything to an innocent girl. She briskly made her way down the alley, thankful that she spent so much time in heels. When she rounded the corner, she was surprised to see Cinnamon standing there. She had changed into regular clothes, simple jeans and a pink hoodie. A man stood in front of her, blocking her path.

 

 "Hey, creep, why don't you fuck off?"

 

He turned toward her and sneered, "Do you want to come home with us?"

 

Isabelle glared at him, "Nah, but I would love to kick your teeth in. That sounds like a great time for me, really gets me hot and bothered."

 

Cinnamon looked like she couldn't believe what was happening, and she couldn't really blame her. Isabelle supposed she didn't exactly seem like the typical knight in shining armor type, but she would beat this guy's ass into the ground if she had to. Her parents had allowed her and her brothers to take martial arts when they were little. Even in a tight dress and heels, she was ready to go.

 

"Fuck off, bitch."

 

"I asked first. Get your hands off of her." The good news was that he did, but he had started walking towards Isabelle.

 

She was prepared to fight, but she would prefer not having to. There was a creak as the employee's entrance opened. Everyone in the alley froze. Out stepped the man Isabelle had seen lounging on the couch earlier. After taking a brief glance at the scene, his face turned angry. "What's going on out here?"

 

 The man started to talk, but Isabelle glared at him, "This guy wouldn't leave her alone."

 

Glitter dude stepped out of the door and walked over towards them. Normally, Isabelle wouldn't have found him immediately intimidating. He was wearing a white shirt with half the buttons undone, leather pants and boots, he had a thick ring of eyeliner on, and his fingers were covered in a number of rings. He looked more like a sexy pirate than someone who was going to beat you up. However, he was quite a bit taller than the other man, and she could see through his shirt that although skinny, he was muscular.

 

"I'm going to suggest you get off of my property before I make you. With your behavior, I really shouldn't be asking this nicely, but I like to give everyone a warning. So, your warning is leave now, and I would very much prefer you never come within a mile of me and my club ever again." His smile was cold and didn't reach his eyes. Isabelle applauded him for his confidence.

 

The other man seemed to realize that this wasn't something he was going to win, and he walked off without saying another word. Isabelle let out a sigh of relief. She was glad that it hadn't come down to a fight. Even though teaching him a lesson would have been nice, you shouldn't start fights if you don't have to.

 

"I'm Magnus, I'm the co-owner of this club," he said as he stuck out his hand. Isabelle took it, shaking it firmly. His smile was warmer than it had been before. "I appreciate what you did."

 

"Isabelle. And most people what have done it."

 

Magnus shrugged, "Still, it was very brave of you."

 

Cinnamon stepped forward then, "Yeah, I'd like to thank you. Who knows what would have happened." Isabelle just nodded. If she hadn't have been there, Magnus still would have stepped out, but who knows if it would have been in time.

 

"Isabelle, if you don't mind me asking..What is your last name?"

 

"It's Lightwood."

 

Magnus nodded as if he were making a mental note. "Great. Any time you want to come to Pandemonium, just tell them your name, and they'll let you and your friends in for free."

 

"I couldn't do that," she protested.

 

He made a tsk noise, "Well, you're going to. I owe you one. Plus, I like you. Anyone who dresses like that has my seal of approval."

 

Isabelle and Cinnamon both chuckled at that. "That's nice of you...Um, I had better get back to my friends. They're probably wondering where I am. Plus, I need to get to bed at a fairly decent time, since I have an essay to work on tomorrow."

 

Magnus nodded, "Ah, college student? Do you go to Idris University of the Arts?" When Isabelle nodded, he smiled, "That's where Clary goes." He gestured toward the redhead standing next to him. Isabelle was glad she had something to call her other than Cinnamon now. "Maybe you two will run into each other at school some time."

 

 His grin was slightly suggestive, and Isabelle couldn't help but wonder if he had seen them earlier. Well, had seen the way Isabelle had reacted. Just then, her phone rang. 

 

**_Where are you??_ From: Tessa **

 

"I gotta go now, friends are texting. Nice to meet both of you!" She turned and walked around the corner, cringing slightly. ' _Nice to meet you! Thanks for the lapdance, by the way!'._ She sent a quick text back to Tessa, telling her that she would meet them at the entrance.

 

On the walk back home, she reviewed her night. She now knew why Clary had seemed familiar to her. They went to school together. Now that she thought about it, Clary was an art student. She was always around a boy with glasses and brown hair. Since all the art buildings were fairly close together, it made sense that Isabelle would have seen her around now and then.

 

 As Isabelle fell asleep that night, she wondered if it would be awkward to approach her at school.


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the weekend, Isabelle found her thoughts straying to Clary. When they went back to Isabelle's place and watched movies, she thought that the girl on her screen looked a bit like the redhead. While listening to music and writing a paper, a song came on and she thought, _Clary would be able to dance to this song._

 

Of course it was all a bit ridiculous. She had barely even talked to the girl. Just because she had given Isabelle a lap dance didn't mean that they were all buddy-buddy. In fact, it would probably just make any future meetings weird and uncomfortable. She was fairly sure Clary didn't want to mix her work life with her personal life. However, Isabelle really wanted to talk to the girl. She was quite attracted to her, but she also thought they might have a chance of being good friends.

 

 Isabelle wasn't quite sure how to approach Clary though. _Hey, remember me? You gave me an amazing lap dance this weekend!_ She didn't really think that would be appropriate. Not that Isabelle was particularly embarrassed by the event, but she wasn't sure how Clary would react hearing about it again. There was always the possibility that Clary didn't want to talk to her at all because of the fact that she had technically been a client. It would make sense after all. Isabelle didn't know many strippers, but she figured a lot of them probably kept it a secret that they stripped for a living.

 

 She wondered why Clary became a stripper. For the thrill? The money? To stay in shape? Because it was sexy? Having never considered stripping for anything other than a sexual partner, Isabelle wasn't sure why Clary would choose this job. She does an incredible job though. And she certainly did. Surely Isabelle wasn't the only one who had been completely mesmerized by Clary and her dancing.

 

Her friends clearly cared deeply for her, so they told her brothers about the encounter. They had all spent the weekend making jokes and doing horrible renditions of 'I'm N Luv(Wit A Stripper). Jace had even downloaded the song on his phone and would randomly start playing the song. She could deal with the horrible sing and the random blaring of music. But her friends and family couldn't stop there. They started dancing and imitating Clary and Isabelle. At one point, Aline and Helen had imitated the lap dance on their apartment's couch. Whenever someone turned the song on other than himself, Jace would start dancing and grinding his hips. When the song could be heard in every corner of the house, her friends were dancing along the couch, and her brothers were dancing on the table, Isabelle had had enough.

 

 She came out of the bathroom, hands on her hips. "Would you guys stop? And seriously, when are you guys going home? You've been here since we came home from Pandemonium...That was last night at one...It's now six o'clock in the evening."

 

Tessa threw her hand to her chest. Jace had decided that since it was Saturday night, they should be drinking. He had obviously given some of it to her friends. "You wound me!"

 

"You know I don't care about you guys being here, but can we stop with the stripper jokes? I'd like to bend over to pick something up without someone bursting into rap." 

 

"Hey, hey! My Lil Wayne impression is great!" Jace shouted from the kitchen table. His shirt was askew, revealing a bit of his toned stomach. He had a bottle of whiskey in one hand.

 

 Alec clamped him on the shoulder, grimace on his face. "Sorry man, it's really not." Jace pouted, upset at Alec's statement. Everyone else was nodding along. Isabelle had to agree; Jace was good at most things he tried, but rapping was not one of them.

 

"You guys are just jealous that I'm perfect at everything."

 

Once again, they all shook their heads. Jace scoffed and took a swig from the bottle. "I know you guys wanted to stay in tonight, but can we do something fun? We should order pizza and drink!" Jace suggested.

 

 "Where do you even get this stuff? You and Izzy are nineteen, Alec isn't twenty-one for another month or so..." Maia asked as she looked through the fridge.

 

Jace sent a wink in her direction. "When you've got rich parents, anything is possible, my fair lady."

 

 Maia rolled her eyes. Jace was kind of telling the truth, Isabelle supposed. They had rich parents, so they knew a lot of other rich people with children. It wasn't too hard to convince someone that was over twenty-one to get you some drinks. They had plenty of barely legal friends who were always willing to get something for them and not tell their parents. Their parents finding out might just be the end of the world.

 

"I'll call and order pizza right now, what do you guys want?" She asked as she started to dial the number of a local pizza place. Everyone shouted different things, arguing over what toppings they wanted. As the phone was ringing, she was fairly sure she heard Maia and Jace declare war over what was acceptable to put on top of pizza. No one in the group would be surprised if they actually fought about it. Both Jace and Maia were quite aggressive, but they would never hurt the other. Stepping into the bathroom to get away from the noise, Isabelle ordered a variety of pizzas. It seemed like too much, but she knew that it would get eaten. Alec and Jace could probably consume an entire pizza each.

 

They spent the rest of the night watching shitty movies, drinking, and stuffing their faces with pizza. Overall, it was quite a good night. She loved everyone in the apartment, and it was nice to spend a quiet night in with them. Well, as quiet as their group could get. They all had very distinct personalities, and it showed in every moment. Nights like these, she was thankful that her parents had insisted on getting their own apartment. Not only would a college dorm have been way too crowded for this many people, she was sure that the neighbors - and possibly entire dorm- wouldn't welcome their little get togethers. The dancing on tables and the couch earlier had been mild compared to what they tended to get up to.

 

 Isabelle had acted like she was scolding her friends, but she didn't mind one bit. Really, she was just as wild as the rest of them. Right now she was in the middle of the living room, singing a terrible duet with Jace. Everyone was spread across the room, cheering them on like they were at a Beyonce concert rather than some apartment. Of course, Isabelle was just as flawless as Beyonce was, so that might have something to do with it.

 

As hard as he tried, Jace was not the Nicki to her Beyonce. Or the Jay-Z. Or any other musical comparison. Jace may be able to shake his hips like it was nobody's business, but he couldn't sing well. It was just never going to happen. She wished that Alec would sing more, he actually had a decent voice. They could form some great brother-sister duo. Jace could sway in the background and lip sync.

 

 Around ten o'clock, everyone decided to turn in and go home. They had all talked about doing homework today, but they had stayed up late last night, and then messed around all day. Tomorrow was the last day of the weekend, so they really had no option but to do the work then. Jace and Maia had just discussed not doing it, but Alec had gotten after them and kindly reminded that they had plans for their future, and none of them would happen if they slacked on their homework.

 

Since Isabelle actually did care about her grades, she did spend Sunday working on her assignments. She didn't have anything too complicated to do, but she was suffering from a slight hangover and Jace whining about his own work. Alec was a nice study buddy, he only talked when it was needed and he did his homework. He was the one who made the studying schedule, giving them designated break times, and made sure they were all drinking water. The first time he had done all of this, her and Jace had teased him without mercy. However, they soon discovered that Alec's little schedule worked, and they accomplished more when they let their oldest brother play mom.

 

While they were munching on leftovers for lunch, they talked about different things involving school. "So, Izzy, I saw your paper on the fridge about your photography assignment...Ya know, the one you have to pick a subject and photograph it over a series of months and with different themes. Do you know what you're going to do?" asked Alec.

 

Isabelle shook her head, "No, we don't have to start yet, so I haven't put a ton of thought into it," this got her a slight glare from Alec, "I wanted to do something original. I figure a lot of people will do trees or something, because it's something where you can easily show the change and all that. But I want to do something fun, and out there."

 

Jace smirked, "I could pose nude for you."

 

Alec's nose curled at that, "That is wrong on so many levels, Jace. Really."

 

 "I have to agree with Alec. Although, I'm sure my teacher would enjoy it."

 

 The blonde winked, "You bet she would. You would definitely get an A. I mean, who wouldn't want to look at all this," he motioned toward his body.

 

 "Well, if I'm really, really desperate, I'll come to you. But you have to keep your clothing on, we can't be sending any old ladies into cardiac arrest." Jace just grinned at her, like there was actually had a chance of something like that happening if he was running around topless. She supposed it wasn't too out of line, because she'd seen a variety of crazy things happen when Jace wasn't wearing a shirt. There had been a girl who had literally ran into a door once. He was her brother, but Isabelle knew a good looking man when she saw one. Men and women alike tended to throw themselves at Jace.

 

 The conversation turned to this big paper Alec had coming up. Isabelle and Jace had been trying to reassure him that everything would go just fine, he was a straight A student, but he was still constantly stressing over it. He had a drive to be absolutely perfect all the time and at every single thing he did. It was different than Jace's though. Jace wanted to be perfect at everything because he wanted to be the best, the golden boy. He was usually great at everything he tried. Alec though, he wanted to live up to Jace. Of course, there was also the fact that Alec was in the closet. He had this desire to be the perfect son, not the gay son who had disappointed his parents. Alec was so worried about it all that he hadn't even told Jace.

 

Isabelle worried about him. She knew that it was slowing tearing him apart. Keeping secrets, constantly pushing himself to be better. Eventually, it was all going to catch up to him. She knew that when everything finally exploded, it wasn't going to be pretty. Her parents wouldn't react well to the news, and neither would most of the people they were connected to. Alec knew all of this, and she knew the anxiety was always hanging over his head. She wished she knew how to help, wished that she could make him happy. With a small smile, she considered taking him to Pandemonium for a night out. He probably wouldn't be too happy about it, but his reaction might be worth it.

 

                                                                                                                     *

Monday morning started with Isabelle getting a call from her mother. A call at seven usually didn't mean anything good.

 

"Isabelle, how is school going for you?"

 

She sucked in a deep breath, "It's good. I'm actually just getting ready for my morning class. Did you need something?"

 

 Her mother made an annoyed scoff, as if it what Isabelle had said were slightly offensive. "Well, I was calling to tell you about an event at the Institute. Your father and I would like for you and your brothers to be there. It's on the sixth of September."

 

 She nodded, even though her mother couldn't see her. "Yeah...I'll-I'll let them know about it."

 

 "Remember it's formal. Please do wear something appropriate. If any of you would like to bring dates, that would be fine. Just let us know in advance. Preferably not that boy you brought last time."

 

 Isabelle pressed her hand to her face. She loved her mother, she really did, but sometimes she was a bit hard to deal with. Maryse was very critical and insisted on perfection. "Mel and I aren't together anymore."

 

 Maruse made a tut noise, and Isabelle wondering if it was supposed to pass as sympathetic. "I'm sorry to hear that," and apparently it had been.

 

"No you're not, there's no need to lie. I know very well that you didn't like him, you just told me that. You don't approve of anyone I date."

 

"Maybe if you actually dated anyone respectable, it wouldn't be a problem."

 

Taking another deep breath, she tried to remain calm, "Everyone is respectable, or I wouldn't date them. Just because their parents aren't members of the Institute, doesn't mean they aren't nice people."

 

She could imagine her mother scowling in their home, heels clicking as she stormed through the house. "Isabelle, I really wish you would get over this. You don't have to sleep around to rebel against your father and I. Most girls get a piercing or change their hair color. You don't need to keep doing this."

 

 Inside, she was screaming. She had had this conversation with both of her parents multiple times with both of her parents, and it always got ugly. This time, she just wanted to end it before it got to this point. "Ya know what? I'm going to be late for school, I have to finish getting ready." She hung up before her mother could protest. It was probably considered rude, and her mother would probably lecture her about it later. There was a real chance of her being late though, so she hadn't actually lied about anything.

 

After her first two classes, Isabelle had a bit of a break. Tessa usually had a break around this time as well, so they were going to meet at the library for a quick snack. She made her way across campus slowly, knowing Tessa's break didn't start for another fifteen minutes.

 

 Just like the rest of the weekend, when she wasn't doing something, Clary popped into her mind. It clearly wasn't voluntary, but it's not like she could just stop thinking about someone. Especially not someone like Clary. The redhead was gorgeous, and it wasn't like people's thoughts didn't stray to beautiful people all the time. Especially one's who had given them a lap dance. It was completely normal.

 

 Her thoughts were interrupted by a flash of orange hair about twenty feet away. Clary was standing at a little coffee stand, her back turned towards Isabelle. She knew it was her because no one else had hair like that. If it hadn't been for that hair, she might never had seen the tiny girl in the crowd of students.

 

 Isabelle debated whether it was weird to approach her or not. It wasn't like she was going to ask for another lap dance or anything. Not that she had ever actually asked for the first one. After debating momentarily, she decided to go for it. She figured she could at least attempt to strike up a friendship with the girl. It wasn't like she was going over to hit on her obnoxiously and try to get into her pants. She could just casually ask if she wanted to hang out or something some time, nothing more. Isabelle didn't even know if Clary did anything like that with girls outside of her work, so she wouldn't push it.

 

 Walking towards Clary, Isabelle straightened her shoulders and smoothed her hair out. Even if she wasn't going to flirt with Clary, she wanted to look good. When the smaller girl turned around, they made eye contact with each other at the exact same time. To her surprise, Clary sent her a small smile and wave. Hoping that was a good sign, Isabelle made her way over to her.

 

"Hey!"

 

Clary sent another smile, "Hi, how are you?"

 

"I'm pretty good, I'm just on a break. What about you?"

 

"Same. I'm headed to the music building to meet my friend, Simon."

 

 Isabelle figured that Simon had to be the boy that she had seen Clary with. It was probably a safe guess. She wondered if the two of them were dating. "Ah, I'm headed over to the library to meet a friend."

 

"Oh, that's right on the way to the music building...Do you want to walk over with me?"

 

The raven haired girl nodded. She was in heels today, and the height difference between her and Clary was almost comical. Even if Isabelle hadn't been wearing heels, she still would have been quite a bit taller than her. It was pretty cute.

 

 "So, uh," Clary fidgeted with her hands, "I just wanted to say thank you again..For Friday night. That was really brave of you."

 

Isabelle shrugged, "We girls have to stick up for each other."

 

That made Clary laugh, "I really do appreciate it. Not everyone would have stopped, they would have figured it wasn't their business."

 

"You’re welcome," she smiled.

 

A few moments passed in silence. Isabelle was thankful that it didn't seem awkward. Lucky for them, the sidewalks weren't too crowded, and the weather was pretty decent. There was a slight breeze, but it was cooling rather than chilling.

 

"So, Isabelle, what are you going to school for?"

 

"I'm a photography student. What about you?"

 

Clary seemed to perk up at this, "I'm an art student."

 

"Really? Not modeling?" She noted the flirtation in her own voice. This seemed to make Clary blush.

 

 "Uh, have you looked in a mirror recently? I mean, look at you!" Clary looked her up and down, and Isabelle couldn't help but feel a bit smug.

 

 She flipped her curls back in a dramatic move, "Well, thank you. Maybe we could model together," and she swears that she didn't mean to wink, but it totally happened.

 

This sent Clary into a fit of giggles, "No, girls like me aren't models. You though..You're tall and gorgeous and the type of person that I draw." The last part seemed to make her blush even more, like she hadn't meant to say it.

 

 "That's sweet, but beauty comes in different forms."

 Now they were standing outside the library, and Isabelle knew that it would be awkward to stand there much longer. She figured she should tell Clary goodbye and be on her way. What Clary did next though surprised her. "Do you want to exchange numbers? We can meet up sometime?"

 

 "Do you want to take me up on that modeling thing?"

 

 She giggled and ducked her head, and this made Isabelle grin. "No, but we could hang out, like normal people."

 

"Normal? Hah, I don't know much about that, but yeah, hand me your phone." Clary slid a phone into hand, and Isabelle quickly typed her name and number in. "There you go, just shoot me a text whenever you want. I'm always photoshoot ready."

 

 Clary stared down at her phone for a minute, "Ya know, I don't doubt that. I'll see you later, Isabelle."

 

Deciding that it was creepy to watch her walk away, Isabelle turned to head into the library. She felt that the exchange with Clary had went well. Of course she hadn't meant to get flirty, but that's just where the direction had gone. No one could really blame her for that. With a small smile on her face, she opened the door to the library. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's chapter two! I wanted to post earlier, but I had a hectic weekend. 
> 
> I'm looking for someone to review that story before it's posted, so if you're interested me, message me on tumblr at prettyboyalec 
> 
> Please comment <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some warnings, there is a bit of homophobia in this chapter. A character is telling something that happened earlier in the day, nothing too explicit, but there are some implied threats and slurs.

Isabelle did not sit around all day staring at her phone waiting for Clary to text her. She just made sure that she had her phone with her at all times and that the volume was turned up as loud as it could go. Obviously she wanted Clary to text her as a soon as possible, but she was not going to check her phone every thirty seconds. She had things she had to do get done, and being distracted by a phone was not one of them. Clary would text her when she texted her.

 

In the end, she really didn’t have to wait all that long. Around eight o’clock, Clary finally texted her. It had only been mid-morning when she had given the redhead her number. Isabelle hated the whole three day rule or whatever a lot of people followed, and she was glad that apparently Clary didn’t seem to like it either.

 

_Heey! This is Clary!_

 

She smiled lightly at the message. Happy that Alec and Jace weren’t around to tease her, she quickly texted back. While Isabelle did some of her schoolwork, they texted back and forth about different things. It started with simple things about school, what classes they were taking, which professors they had, projects that they were working on. Clary seemed to be interested in helping with ideas for her photography project.

 

 Eventually the texts changed into things that didn’t involve school. Of course it started off with dumb things like asking each other what their favorite color was. It progressed into things like movies and books. Isabelle was pleased to find that conversation with the other girl came easily. There was never an instance where she had to wait to figure out something to say. Topics flowed from one to another, and she never felt that anything was awkward or forced. She was also quite glad that there even seemed to be a tiny bit of flirting here and there. There was no shame in dropping something a little cheeky every once in awhile, but she didn’t want to be overbearing.

 

 Jace and Alec came home around nine thirty, and she wasn’t surprised that they asked who she was texting. That led to teasing, and breaking out into terrible song. It was just what she had expected from them. She was just glad that this time Jace hadn’t started dancing. Seeing him grind wasn’t exactly on her wish list.

 

Then, something surprising happened. Clary asked her if on Friday she’d like to come to Pandemonium and hang out. Apparently she had the night off and Magnus had suggested that she invite Isabelle and some friends. She also said that Magnus insisted that they didn’t need to pay an entry fee. Isabelle thought that it was far too generous, so she decided to only ask Jace and Alec if they would like to come. She really didn’t want to take advantage of Magnus and his offer.

 

That sounds great! I’ll ask my brothers if they would like to come. From: Isabelle

 

 _If they don’t come, you’ll still come, right?(:_ **From: Clary**

 

 _Of course! Just let me know when you want to me._ **From: Isabelle**

 

 _Will do! Gotta be up early tomorrow, so I’m going to head to bed! Night!_ **From: Clary**

 

 _Night!!(:_ **From: Isabelle**

 

“So uhhh, what are you guys doing Friday night?” asked Isabelle.

 

“Staring at myself in the mirror,” Jace smiled. This got him a glare from Alec and Isabelle. He only winked at them and threw his hands up in a ‘What can you do?’ gesture. The black haired girl shook her head and repressed a smile.

 

“I got an invite to go to Pandemonium with Clary, and she said to invite some friends.”

 

Jace made a face at this, “Not to be rude, but I don’t want to go watch you make heart eyes at a stripper…”

 

“We’re not going to watch her work, Jace! We’re going to the club part.”

 

Alec shook his head, “I don’t think so. I should really stay home and work on some school work. And clubs really aren’t my thing.”

 

The blonde made his way over to Alec and looped his arm around his shoulders. He tilted his head in and smiled up at Alec. “Baby, don’t be like that. C’mon, it’ll be fun.” Her older brother just shook his head, rolling his eyes at Jace. “Please! Come with us, and if we’re there for more than a half hour and you don’t like it, we can go home. Or at least I’ll come home with you, Izzy will probably be hooking up in a bathroom stall with Clary.”

 

Alec’s mouth fell open and this, and he looked like he was trying to find something to say. Isabelle threw her pen across the room, hitting Jace in the center of his chest. “Jace! I am _not_ going to screw Clary in the bathroom at Pandemonium! Or any other bathroom for that matter.”

 

“Just every other available surface,” he sneered.

 

“Oh my god, stop! This is disgusting, I don’t want to hear about this,” Alec yelled. Just like every other time that the conversation turned to sex, Alec blushed and got uncomfortable.

 

 Jace got a sly grin on his face, and Alec immediately looked suspicious. “We’ll stop...If you go to Pandemonium with us on Friday, no complaints. The half hour deal still stands.”

 

Alec’s look of suspicion turned into a glare, “You guys are always pressuring me into doing things I don’t want to do! If I wanted to go to a club, I would have said yes in the first place.” He snatched his bag off of the floor and stomped out of the kitchen and into his bedroom.

 

Isabelle turned to look at Jace, a look of concern on her face. “What was that about?” asked Jace. She knew that Alec was a lot more reserved than the two of them, and sometimes they tried to get him to go out and do things. They always thought that they were making Alec put himself out there, getting him out to do things. Sure, he acted a bit put out sometimes, but she didn’t think that he had a real problem with it.

 

“I’ll go talk to him about it, kay?” She said as she made her way to Alec’s room. /////// * She knocked lightly before opening Alec’s bedroom door. It wasn’t locked, so she figured that he wasn’t too worried about privacy. Alec was on his bed, leaning on the pillows against the headboard. He had his arms behind his head, and it would have seemed like he was relaxing, but the furrow in his brow and the frown and his pink lips gave him away. Isabelle made her way over to the bed and sat down on the edge.

 

“Alec, what’s up?”

 

He turned toward her with a raise eyebrow, “Why do you think that something is wrong?”

 

Isabelle sighed, “Alec, you randomly started yelling at Jace and I and then practically ran out of the room. If it’s about going to the club, you don’t have to go. I know that a lot of the times we force you to come along to some things that you’re not really interested in. We’re just trying to get you out more, but if you don’t like it, then we won’t-”

 

“It’s not about Pandemonium.”

 

“Then what is it? You can tell me anything Alec.”

 

Alec closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed. When he opened his eyes, he threw his head back and stared at the ceiling. “I-I had to go meet with some of the guys from the Institute today. Our parents wanted us to get fitted for suits. Mother told me she called you about the event. I didn’t want to go in the first place, because I had classes, but she insisted that I go, and that I had to go with the group.”

 

 Isabelle put her hand on her leg to reassure him. She wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, but she did know that Alec was upset, and obviously need comfort. She wanted to be there for her brother no matter what. If he was hurting, she had to do everything in her power to make it better.

 

“Some of the guys...They were being pricks. I shouldn’t have let it bug me, but it did.”

 

 She frowned at this, “What were they doing, Alec?”

 

Alec pursed his lips, “They just kept making a bunch of homophobic comments. It started off with stuff like, ‘That suit looks gay on you!’ that kind of stuff. They were all just teasing each other. Eventually, though, it got worse. They were talking about how there was two men kissing the other day at their school, and they harassed them and they were going to hurt them and everything. It-it just got worse and worse, and they were being so...cruel. I finally snapped at them to stop, and they all just...They flipped out. They freaked out and asked me if I was defending them because I was a…”

 

“A what?”

 

“They asked me if I was a fag. Luckily, one of the workers came back in then and it broke up. After that, at lunch, they acted cool about everything. But it just…”

 

Isabelle moved forward to hug her brother, “I am _so_  sorry, Alec. I am so sorry that you had to put up with that.”

 

 Alec was stiff in her arms. “It’s not a big deal, Izzy. It shouldn’t have bugged me.”

 

She leaned back and stared at her brothers. Her hands squeezed at his shoulders, “It is though! It’s not okay that they’re saying stuff like that. You shouldn’t have to put up with that.”

 

Alec jumped off the bed and started pacing, “But I have to! Don’t you see that? If I don’t put up with it, everyone will know!”

 

“But is that-”

 

 “Don’t you dare say that! Everyone knowing would ruin _everything_. I can’t... I can’t let them know. Our parents would never speak to me again.”

 

Isabelle stared wide-eyed at her brother. It wasn’t very often that he lost his cool. “I get that it would mess a lot of things up..but they didn’t disown me when I came out.”

 

Alec scoffed, and despite the mean look on his face, his eyes were wet. “That’s because they think it’s a phase for you, Izzy. They think that you’ll grow out of your rebellious phase and start dressing the way that they want you to and you’ll settle down with a nice guy from the Institute.” His laugh sounded more like a choked back sob. He pointed a finger at himself, “That won’t happen with me. They’ll think that I’m disgusting and that there’s something wrong with me. If they don’t disown me, they’ll force me to marry some rich, pretty girl and barely tolerate me for the rest of my life. I’ll lose all of my friends, at school and from the Institute. No one will want to be around me. I’ll get bullied. Jace will never look me in the eye again. Our parents will take away my money to go to school and I won’t be able to get a job and-”

 

 Isabelle crossed the room to her brothers, and pinned his flailing arms to his sides. Tears were openly streaming down both of their faces now. Alec looked like he was wrecked, like his whole world had crumbled around him. She had known that the possibility of coming out terrified Alec, but she hadn’t known that he was carrying all this around. That he was this scared of everything. “Alec...Alec, shh..It’s okay. If you never want to come out, that’s fine. It’s absolutely fine. But don’t for one second think that you won’t have anybody if you do. I will stand by you no matter what. And guess what? So will Jace, and Max, and all of your friends. I also think that a lot more people at the Institute will be more accepting than you think. If they aren’t, it doesn’t matter.” 

 

“Of course it matters. People’s opinions matter. You’re old enough to know that.”

 

 “You’re right. But if their opinions bother you, you’re old enough to distance yourself from them. You don’t need to have negative people in your life.”

 

 Alec’s smile was sad, “So I’m supposed to distance myself from our parents?”

 

 “If you need to, yes. But I’m not saying that you have to come out. That’s your choice. Whether it’s a year from now, or two, or never. I don’t want you to spend your life hiding, Alec. It’s tearing you up. But I realize that there will be problems with coming out, and if you don’t want to face those, nobody would blame you.”

 

 “Izzy, don’t cry.”

 

 “Seeing you sad makes me sad.”

 

 “I’m going to go to bed, okay?”

 

 Isabelle nodding and headed for the door, “I just want you to be happy.”

 

He nodded, “I am happy.”

 

She sighed. His face was still damp with tears, and his smile didn’t reach his eyes. “No, you’re not. But that’s okay. You will be.”

As she was closing the door she heard, “I’ll go with you guys on Friday..”

 

 

                                                                                                                                 *

 

 

Isabelle didn’t see Clary at school over the next few days, but they texted plenty. Her phone was constantly chiming with text notifications. Talking to Clary was fun. There was never a struggle to find something to say.

 

 Clary had a sense of humor, and Isabelle appreciated that. A lot of people tended to be confused by her family’s jokes, not quite getting it. Clary however, was just as sharp and witty, and could dish out remarks as well as Jace could. There was a lot of jokes that Isabelle didn’t get though. Clary would make a joke, and then immediately send a text explaining what it was from. Isabelle didn’t watch a lot of tv or movies, so she was clueless on a lot of things. Whenever she didn’t get something, Clary would act angry and then insist that she had to watch it. So far they had a list of ten movies that she had to watch sometime in the near future.

 

 The week passed in a homework-filled blur. Everyone was busy with a load of schoolwork. It seemed like all of the teachers were in the mood to stress the students out. Every night Isabelle was up until at least one thirty doing different assignments. This didn’t stop her and Clary from texting though. She was also up late a lot, and they texted each other ideas, answers, and opinions. It was nice to have advice from someone who wasn’t a snarky brother.

 

 _I just don’t know what to do for my photography project! I don’t have to start for another couple of weeks, but I want to get an idea soon._ **From: Isabelle**

 

  _Well there’s lots of pretty things around here, I’m sure you’ll be able to find something._ **From: Clary**

 

_You’re not helpful._ **From: Isabelle**

 

 _Sorry! It’s too late, my brain is kind of fried._ **From: Clary**

 

 _Well, get some sleep! I’m not texting you anymore until morning._ **From: Isabelle**

 

 _Isabelle……._ **From: Clary**

 

 _Really? You weren’t joking?_ **From: Clary**

 

 _Fine..I’ll go to sleep._ **From: Clary**

 

Isabelle chuckled to herself and put her phone away. It was really quite late, almost three in the morning. She had been writing an essay and the time had slipped away from her. She quickly got ready for bed, and turned out the lights. Tomorrow was Friday, and that meant that she got to hang out with Clary.

 

                                                                                                                              *

 

When Isabelle woke up, she immediately checked her phone to check the time and see if Clary had texted her at all. There wasn’t any new texts, so she decided to send Clary a text. She quickly typed her question and hopped up to go the bathroom.

 

She debated and debated what to wear, but decided that she would change before she went to the club. Finally, she found a cute top, jeans, and heels to slip on. Her makeup was simple today as well, figuring that since she would be home to shower and change anyways, she didn’t need to go all out. Why waste products? 

When she went into the kitchen, Jace was sitting at the table. He was staring at something, but his eyes were glossy and she couldn’t tell what he was staring at. “Earth to Jace?” she asked while waving a hand in front of his face.

 

 The blonde shook his head, “Sorry, just thinking about Alec.” At her quizzical look, he went on, “I just...He was acting funny this morning. And there was the thing last night. He just, I came in the kitchen, and I barely got two words out before he was grabbing his bag and saying that he had to go to the gym before class.”

 

“He’s just dealing with some things right now. It’s not you. Everything will be fine soon.”

 

“You really think so?”

 

 “Yeah, I do. Alec loves you, and if something was going on between the two of you, he’d come and talk to you. He’s probably just stressed about school and stuff, you know how he is.”

 

Jace nodded, but didn’t seem like he accepted this. Alec and Jace were incredibly close, so it wasn’t strange that he had noticed something was off. They weren’t just brothers, they were best friends. Sometimes Isabelle was a bit jealous of how close they were, but she was always happy that they had that kind of relationship with each other. She was close to all of her siblings, but Alec and Jace just had a different sort of bond. No one could really explain it.

 

 Isabelle put her hands on his shoulder, “It’ll be okay, Jace. I promise.” She grabbed an apple and munched on it. There had to be something that she could do. Something to make Alec happy, to help him relax. Something that would help him and Jace understand each other. But she knew that it couldn’t happen while Alec was worried that Jace wouldn’t accept him if he told him that he was gay. She knew that Jace would, but her big brother had gotten it into his head that he wouldn’t.

 

Going back into the bathroom, Isabelle quickly brushed her teeth and did a few last minute adjustments. She forced herself to smile. Even with the problems she was facing with her family, she couldn’t let herself get down. She wasn’t going to help anything by sulking around, so she had to be at her best.

 

When she went back out, Jace was still sitting at this kitchen table. This time he was scrolling through his phone. “Remember that we’re going to Pandemonium tonight!”

 

He smiled at her, “Like I could forget. Or you would let me.”

 

She nodded at him, “It’s my job to keep you on track of things. Actually, it’s usually Alec’s job. But this time, it’s mine. Make sure to wear something good looking!”

 

 “Tell that to Alec.”

 

 “I’ll help Alec with his outfit. He never knows what to wear. I have to go to school. Bye!” Isabelle kissed him on the forehead and headed for the door. Turning in the door, she offered him one last wave before she shut the door.

 

Fridays were her short days, and she only had a few classes. Just a couple of hours and she could come to get ready for her date with Clary. Was it really a date though? Clary had told her to invite friends, so that wasn’t really date-like. However, she could have just been being nice or trying to make it less awkward for Isabelle. She wasn’t quite sure, but she was glad that she had a chance to hang out with the girl again. Isabelle was determined that she would have fun, and so would her brothers. Everyone involved would have a good time, and there would be no exceptions. 


	4. Chapter 4

Isabelle was spending a lot of time on her and her siblings outfit. Jace had a fairly good sense of fashion, but she wanted to make sure his outfit for the night was on point. Alec, on the other hand, was a bit trickier. He was too fond of baggy sweaters and t-shirts filled with holes. Alec somehow pulled it off, but it wasn't exactly club wear. Finding an outfit for him was easy enough, but getting her oldest brother into it would be the hard part. 

 

"Allleeeccc, you'll look great! I promise!" 

 

He scoffed, "Izzy, this is Jace's shirt. And a pair of jeans I haven't wore in over a year. It won't fit."

 

She shot Jace an exasperated look and a silent ' _help me'._ The blonde stood up and walked over to where her and Alec were standing. He took the shirt from Isabelle's hands and held it out to Alec. "Just try it on. There's no harm in doing that. And, it'll make her happy."

 

"If I try it on, she'll make me wear it." 

 

"Alec, c'mon. If it looks ridiculous, neither of us would let you go out in public. You know that." 

 

The sigh that Alec let out was possibly the most dramatic thing either of them had ever heard. Not to mention she thought that he might lose his eyesight with how hard he rolled his eyes. He motioned to them with his hand, signaling for them to turn their backs. As if seeing him shirtless was a big deal. Jace held out the shirt, and Alec snatched it from his hands with a bitch face to rival the best. 

 

A few seconds later, Alec spoke out. "I'm done."

 

Isabelle let out a gasp when she turned around. After that, a squeal. "Alec!  _You look hot!"_

 

He shifted uncomfortably and pulled at the hem of his t-shirt. "It's going to burst if I move the wrong way."

 

Jace shook his head, "I agree with Izzy, you look good. The shirt is tight, shows off your muscles."

 

"You're supposed to be on my side..."

 

                                                                                                                           *

 

Isabelle could tell that Alec was nervous. He kept pulling at his shirt and messing with his fingers. If he kept it up, he would tear his cuticles to hell. She put a hand on his elbow and smiled up at him. The smile he gave back was nervous and clearly forced, but he was trying. Alec very rarely put himself out there, so this was a big step. It really hadn't taken much convincing to get him out of the house. The half hour deal might have helped. Both her and Jace had sworn up and down that if after a half hour Alec wasn't enjoying himself, they would leave, no questions asked. He did have to try though. 

 

"It'll be fun," she tried.

 

All that got her was an eye roll. Jace threw his head back and laughed. "Maybe you'll meet someone interesting, Alec. But not if you keep pouting the entire night."

 

"I'm not pouting," he said, while he was in fact pouting, "and I'm not really interesting in meeting someone." 

 

"We'll then I guess I'll have to meet someone for you. And Izzy has Clary." 

 

Alec shook his head, "I swear to god...Please don't bring back anyone to the apartment tonight. I won't to go home and get a good night's rest after this." 

 

Isabelle threw her hair back. "I promise, Alec. And so does Jace." 

 

Jace obviously didn't agree with this, but he shrugged and nodded his head anyways. It was at this point that they reached the front of the line. Jace had suggested that with her special stripper privileges they could've just skipped the line, but she really didn't want to overdo it. They were already being far too kind to her. 

 

 "Name?" the burly man asked.

 

"Isabelle Lightwood," she offered with a smile. 

 

"Ah, yes, Mr. Bane mentioned you. Go right in." 

 

She noticed Jace smirking as a few people in line glared at them. Clearly they didn't like the fact that they didn't have to pay or check names on a list. "This place is...uh, bright?" said Jace.

 

"Magnus definitely has a unique taste." 

 

_We're here!_ **From: Isabelle**

 

 _Great! Head towards the bar...I'll find you there._   **From: Clary**

 

"She said to go towards the bar!" Isabelle shouted over the music. Her brothers nodded, and followed her into the crowd. To say that the club was packed was an understatement. She was trying not to shove people out of the way or elbow them, but it was kind of hard not to. It was the only way to get through. 

 

Isabelle noticed that most of the people in the club were dressed quite flamboyantly. Similar to Magnus Bane. There were people dressed head to toe in leather, some in heels so high she couldn't even imagine walking in them, and some people in items of clothing that barely covered anything. There was people practically having sex on the couches and on the dance floor. She was sure that she saw more than one person with their hands down someone else's pants or up a skirt. No one seemed to be paying much attention to it though. Everyone just kept dancing, as if it was a normal thing. She supposed that in a place like this, it probably was. She applauded their confidence. 

 

 

When they got to the bar, Isabelle looked around. She wasn't really sure where to go after this. She had just assumed that Clary would text her more directions or find her herself. Just then, she saw a flash of red hair, and then heard, "Isabelle!"

 

The tiny redhead was now standing in front of her, smiling brightly. Tonight she was dressed in a tight black leather dress. It fit her snugly, and Isabelle tried not to check her or the very obvious cleavage out. "Clary! It's so nice to see you!" 

 

"You too!" Since the were at the bar and a little away from the crowd, it was a bit easier to hear. She didn't have to shout to be heard. "This must be Alec and Jace, your brothers?" 

 

Isabelle nodded. Jace stuck out his hand, and Clary accepted it was a smile. Alec offered a polite smile, but didn't make a move to shake hands. Clary didn't seem to be bothered by this. "Well, Magnus wants to meet you, sooo..." 

 

It surprised her when Clary grabbed her hand and pulled her into the crowd. When Isabelle looked back, Jace was grinning at her, and Alec was staring open-mouthed at a couple grinding on the dance floor. She hoped that they would follow her. 

 

A few minutes later, after pushing through the crowd, they reached an area that was roped off. Clary walked right, turning her head to smile at Isabelle. The dark haired girl look down at the other one, wondering if she was this friendly with everyone. Was this normal, or did she like Isabelle? Normally, this wouldn't be behavior for someone you'd only met once. Even if they had saved you from a dangerous encounter.

 

When she looked up, Magnus was sprawled out on a leather couch. There was a variety of people sitting around him. His uniquely patterned shirt was buttoned all the way, and even from here she could see the army of necklaces, earrings, and rings he had on. He caught sight of the two of them, and he smirked and handed his drink off to a beautiful woman sitting next to him.

 

There was no other way to describe the way Magnus walked besides strutting. It was really quite entertaining to watch. "Isabelle!" He aid with his hands in the air and a small smile on his face. "How nice it is to see you again."

 

"Same to you, Magnus. Thank you for letting us come." 

 

His ring-filled hand rested on her shoulder, "Us? Clary told me you were bringing friends, where are they?" He pressed a light kiss to her cheek. 

 

"They should be around here somewhere..."

 

"In the mean time, let's go sit." 

 

Just as they turned around, she heard a deep voice call her name. Her brothers were walking into the section, drinks in their hands. She really hoped they were non-alcoholic. She didn't want to get anyone in trouble. Magnus leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Who is that?"

 

She looked up at him, "Those are my brothers." 

 

Magnus was no longer looking at her. His eyes were set on her approaching siblings. "Yes, yes. The cute one. The tall one with the dark hair."

 

Isabelle's smile widened. Was Magnus taking an interest in Alec? "That's Alec. My oldest brother." 

 

The man made a noise of delight. When they two reached him, he quickly introduced himself and put his hand out to shake. Since it was pointing in Alec's direction, Alec was kind enough to accept it. She was sure everyone in the general area noticed that Magnus was definitely checking him out. Alec certainly did, if they way he quickly looked away meant anything. 

 

A cute brunette tapped Jace on the shoulder, "Want to dance?" 

 

The blonde looked more than enthusiastic about this. The two went off into the crowd, where they disappeared from Isabelle's sight. She noticed that Magnus had pulled Alec off to the side, and her brother seemed to be blushing about something the other had said. 

 

"Do you, uh, wanna go dance too?" A soft voice said beside her. 

 

The redhead next to her had a shy smile on her face, as if Isabelle might say no. "That sounds great." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of short, and not super interesting..Buuut, I've been super busy lately, and haven't really had time to write. I wanted to get something up for you guys to let you know that I'm still here!
> 
> Another longer chapter will be up soon, and it'll be the club scene (like this one was supposed to be). 
> 
> Thank you guys for sticking with me for this long! I seriously love reading all of the comments and seeing that people are actually reading this <3 I love Clizzy so much, and I'm glad that other people do as well! Thank you for reading <3


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